अथातो विपरीताविपरीतस्वप्ननिदर्शनीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः ||१||
यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः ||२||
Meaning of the śloka
Now the chapter illustrating favourable and unfavourable dreams will be explained, as taught by Bhagavan Dhanvantari.
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athāta ityādi| svapnaśabdānantaraṁ luptādiśabdanirdēśānnakṣatravēlātithinimittaśakunāniladēśavaidyavāgdēhamanaścēṣṭā api gr̥hyantē||1-2||
Meaning of the commentary
The commentary understands an omitted word meaning and related matters after dreams. The chapter therefore also includes nakshatra, time, lunar date, omens, birds, wind, place, and the physician's speech, body, mind and actions.
Key terms
svapna
A dream interpreted as favourable or unfavourable within the chapter's prognostic doctrine.
दूतदर्शनसम्भाषा वेषाश्चेष्टितमेव च |
ऋक्षं वेला तिथिश्चैव निमित्तं शकुनोऽनिलः ||३||
देशो वैद्यस्य वाग्देहमनसां च विचेष्टितम् |
कथयन्त्यातुरगतं शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम् ||४||
Meaning of the śloka
The messenger's appearance, conversation, clothing and conduct; the nakshatra, time and lunar date; an omen, a bird and the wind; the place; and the physician's speech, bodily action and mental activity are said to indicate what is favourable or unfavourable for the patient.
Messenger qualifies each of appearance, conversation, dress and conduct. A messenger is a person who comes to summon the physician or ask about the case. Conduct means bodily activity. Nakshatras include Ardra and others, times include midday and others, and lunar dates include the fourth and others. An omen can be the sight of a snake or similar occurrence. Place means the ground or location where the physician is situated. The speech, body and mental actions are also those of the physician. The indicated result belongs to the patient. Dreams are described later.
Key terms
dUta (duta)
A messenger who approaches the physician to summon the physician or inquire about a patient.
nimitta
An omen, illustrated by seeing a snake or a comparable occurrence.
पाख(ष)ण्डाश्रमवर्णानां सपक्षाः कर्मसिद्धये |
त एव विपरीताः स्युर्दूताः कर्मविपत्तये ||५||
नपुंसकं स्त्री बहवो नैककार्या असूयकाः |
गर्दभोष्ट्ररथप्राप्ताः प्राप्ता वा स्युः परम्पराः ||६||
वैद्यं य उपसर्पन्ति दूतास्ते चापि गर्हिताः |७|
Meaning of the śloka
A messenger belonging to the same religious order, life stage or social class as the patient is regarded as favouring success, while one belonging to a contrasting group is regarded as foretelling failure. Messengers considered censured include a person described as neither male nor female, a woman, a large group, people arriving for different purposes, mutually quarrelsome people, those arriving in a cart drawn by a donkey or camel, and those arriving in a line.
The religious groups include Kapalikas and others, the life stages include student, householder and forest-dweller, and social classes include Brahmanas and others. Matching examples are a Kapalika for a Kapalika, a student for a student or a Brahmana for a Brahmana. Contrasting examples reverse these relationships and are taken as signs of failure of treatment. Na pumsaka is glossed as neither man nor woman. A large group means many people. Different-purpose messengers have not gathered for one task, and envious messengers quarrel among themselves. The cart is drawn by a donkey or camel. Parampara means they arrive in a row. Messengers with these characteristics approaching the physician are considered censured within the doctrine.
Key terms
sapakSha dUta (sapaksha duta)
A messenger matching the patient's stated religious, life-stage or social category.
Messengers were regarded as unfavourable if they carried a noose, staff or weapon; wore clothing other than pale or white; wore wet, old, improperly arranged, single, dirty or torn clothing; had fewer or more limbs than expected; appeared frightened, physically different or fierce in form.
The noose is a long looped rope used to bind animals. The staff is a long hard wooden rod fitted with iron or other rings, and weapons include sword and spear. Clothing other than pale means black, yellow or red. Wet means damp, old means worn, and apasavya means an upper garment resting on the right rather than in the prescribed manner. Eka means wearing only one garment, malina unwashed and uddhvasta torn. Fewer limbs means lacking a hand or another part, while additional limbs includes such examples as having an extra finger. Vikrita is illustrated by lameness, spinal curvature or extreme shortness. Raudra means terrifying, overbearing or harsh in appearance, with a variant gloss of fear-producing form.
Adhikarana 5 (9) · Śloka 9
rūkṣaniṣṭhuravaktārastvamaṅgalyābhidhāyinaḥ |9|
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रूक्षनिष्ठुरवक्तारस्त्वमङ्गल्याभिधायिनः |९|
Meaning of the śloka
Messengers whose speech was unfriendly, harsh, or expressed inauspicious things were regarded as unfavourable.
Ruksha speech lacks friendliness and nishthura speech is hard or harsh. Inauspicious expressions include words concerning someone gone away, dead, lost or weeping, and similar matters.
Key terms
ama~ggalyAbhidhAyin (amangalyabhidhayin)
A person uttering words traditionally regarded as inauspicious.
Messengers were regarded as unfavourable when they approached while cutting grass or wood; touching the nose or breast; handling the edge of a garment, ring finger, hair, nails, body hair or garment fringe; placing a hand on a bodily opening, shoulder region, heart, cheek, head, chest or flank; holding a potsherd, stone, ash, bone, husk or charcoal; scratching the ground, dropping an object or breaking clods; having limbs smeared with oil or mud; wearing red garlands or red ointment; carrying ripe or hollow fruit or something similar; gripping the space between the nails, or a foot with the hand; carrying footwear or leather; being afflicted by a deforming disease; acting contrary to custom, crying, breathing heavily or showing altered eyes; facing south with joined hands; or standing unevenly on one foot.
The garment edge can mean the end of cloth without a fringe, while dasha is its fringed border. Anamika is the ring finger, kesha head hair and roma body hair. The listed bodily openings include the ear and others; avarodha is the shoulder region, the heart is described as a downward-facing lotus bud, chest as the interval from throat to heart, and flank as the region between groin and side. Kara applies separately to each held object. Kapala is a pottery fragment, upala a stone, ash the alkaline residue of burned wood, tusha grain husk, and angara a burned piece of wood not reduced to ash. Scratching the earth means tearing it with nails or similar means. Asara fruit lacks inner substance. The phrase also includes other ripe and hollow objects. The verb holding carries forward to the nail space and foot. Upanat is footwear; leather in the hand can mean a leather-made bag or similar object. Altered disease is illustrated by a disfiguring condition such as advanced kushtha. Vamacara means contrary conduct, shvasin breathlessness from exertion, and altered eyes includes eyes described as flowering. Yamya is the southern direction, and the final posture means standing upright in an uneven place on one foot.
दक्षिणाभिमुखं देशे त्वशुचौ वा हुताशनम् |
ज्वलयन्तं पचन्तं वा क्रूरकर्मणि चोद्यतम् ||१५||
नग्नं भूमौ शयानं वा वेगोत्सर्गेषु वाऽशुचिम् |
प्रकीर्णकेशमभ्यक्तं स्विन्नं विक्लवमेव वा ||१६||
वैद्यं य उपसर्पन्ति दूतास्ते चापि गर्हिताः |१७|
Meaning of the śloka
A messenger was also regarded as unfavourable if approaching a physician who faced south; occupied an unclean place; was kindling fire, cooking, or preparing for a cruel act; was naked or lying on the ground; was passing urine or feces or otherwise unclean; had loose hair; was anointed, sweating or distressed.
The conjunction after mention of conduct includes unlisted actions of the physician as well. Cruel action includes animal killing. Some read razor-work instead, meaning preparation for shaving or a similar act. Passing natural urges refers to urination and defecation. Prakirnakesha means hair let loose, abhyakta anointed with oil or another substance, svinna covered in sweat, and viklava agitated or overwhelmed. A messenger approaching a physician in any such state is called censured by the source.
वैद्यस्य पैत्र्ये दैवे वा कार्ये चोत्पातदर्शने ||१७||
मध्याह्ने चार्धरात्रे वा सन्ध्ययोः ... |१८|
Meaning of the śloka
A messenger's approach was regarded as unfavourable when the physician was engaged in ancestral or divine rites, when extraordinary terrestrial, celestial or atmospheric portents were being observed, at midday, at midnight, or at either twilight.
Paitrya means a rite for ancestors and daiva a rite for deities. Utpata refers to extraordinary portents occurring on earth, in the celestial realm or in the atmosphere. The passage then turns to prohibited times.
Key terms
utpAta (utpata)
An extraordinary terrestrial, celestial or atmospheric portent in the source's omen system.
Adhikarana 9 (18) · Śloka 18
... kr̥ttikāsu ca |
ārdrāślēṣāmaghāmūlapūrvāsu bharaṇīṣu ca ||18||
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... कृत्तिकासु च |
आर्द्राश्लेषामघामूलपूर्वासु भरणीषु च ||१८||
Meaning of the śloka
The approach was also regarded as unfavourable under Krittika, Ardra, Ashlesha, Magha, Mula, the Purvas, and Bharani nakshatras.
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nakṣatramadhikr̥tyāha- kr̥ttikāsvityādi||18||
Meaning of the commentary
This passage supplies the nakshatra portion of the list of times considered unfavourable for a messenger's approach.
Key terms
nakShatra (nakshatra)
A lunar mansion used here in the traditional timing and omen classification.
Adhikarana 10 (19) · Śloka 19
caturthyāṁ vā navamyāṁ vā ṣaṣṭhyāṁ sandhidinēṣu ca |
vaidyaṁ ya upasarpanti dūtāstē cāpi garhitāḥ ||19||
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चतुर्थ्यां वा नवम्यां वा षष्ठ्यां सन्धिदिनेषु च |
वैद्यं य उपसर्पन्ति दूतास्ते चापि गर्हिताः ||१९||
Meaning of the śloka
Messengers approaching the physician on the fourth, ninth or sixth lunar date, or on transitional ritual days, were likewise regarded as unfavourable.
In pitta disorders, messengers who approach the physician at midday while sweating and heated near a blazing fire are regarded as unfavorable. The same circumstances are regarded as bringing success in kapha disorders. From this contrast, the remaining correspondences should be understood and classified intelligently. In raktapitta, diarrhea and prameha, a meeting of messenger and physician at a place where water is obstructed is regarded as favorable. A learned person should understand the remaining cases by applying this classification.
The passage assigns particular times and circumstances to particular diseases. A messenger is censured when heat from proximity to fire combines with midday in a pitta condition, but the same setting is favorable in a kapha condition. The remainder includes, for example, cold and strong wind as unfavorable in a vata disorder. Jalarodha means a place where water is held back. By the same reasoning, seeing a forceful flow of water is regarded as favorable in udavarta, urinary difficulty and similar obstructive conditions.
Key terms
dUtavaidyasamAgamaH (dutavaidyasamagamah)
The meeting of messenger and physician, interpreted prognostically according to its setting.
शुक्लवासाः शुचिर्गौरः श्यामो वा प्रियदर्शनः ||२३||
स्वस्यां जातौ स्वगोत्रो वा दूतः कार्यकरः स्मृतः |
गोयानेनागतस्तुष्टः पादाभ्यां शुभचेष्टितः ||२४||
स्मृतिमान् विधिकालज्ञः स्वतन्त्रः प्रतिपत्तिमान् |
अलङ्कृतो मङ्गलवान् दूतः कार्यकरः स्मृतः ||२५||
स्वस्थं प्राङ्मुखमासीनं समे देशे शुचौ शुचिम् |
उपसर्पति यो वैद्यं स च कार्यकरः स्मृतः ||२६||
Meaning of the śloka
A messenger dressed in white, clean, fair or dark-complexioned, pleasing in appearance, belonging to the appropriate social group or lineage, is regarded as effective. One arriving contentedly by cattle-drawn vehicle or on foot and displaying favorable conduct is effective. A messenger with good memory, knowledge of proper method and time, independence, sound judgment, ornamentation and auspicious attributes is likewise effective. So too is one who approaches a healthy, clean physician seated facing east on clean, level ground.
The passage gives favorable messenger signs as the opposites of the previously stated unfavorable ones. Goyana may mean riding a bull or a bull-drawn vehicle; others take go broadly as animal and understand a suitable animal conveyance, excluding conveyances involving animals such as donkey or camel while allowing horse and similar travel. Independent means self-directed, and pratipatti may mean understanding or confidence. The list covers appearance, conduct and dress. Favorable speech is inferred as gentle and soft, opposite to harsh and rough speech. Favorable times, lunar mansions and dates are likewise inferred by reversing the previously named unfavorable ones. The physician approached is healthy in mind and body, seated, and clean in a pure place. Some compilers omit the final verse about approaching the physician.
Key terms
kAryakaraH (karyakarah)
Regarded in this historical doctrine as conducive to successful accomplishment.
pratipattimAn (pratipattiman)
Possessing understanding or, alternatively, confidence and presence of mind.
When setting out, the sight of raw meat, a water pot, parasol, brahmana, elephant, cow, bull, and auspicious white objects is praised. Also favorable are a woman with a son, a cow with her calf, a vardhamana vessel, an ornamented maiden, fish, unripe fruit, a svastika ornament, sweets, curd, gold, a vessel of unbroken grain, jewels, a person of good mind, a king, a blazing fire, horse, hamsa bird, water, casha bird and peacock. Favorable sounds include Vedic recitation, drum, cloud, conch, flute and chariot, the calls of lion, cow and bull, neighing of a horse and trumpeting of an elephant. The call of the hamsa and the owl on the left are praised, as are pleasing words spoken by people traveling on the journey.
The water pot may be full when entering the patient's home and empty when leaving it. Praised white objects exclude cotton, bone, buttermilk, ash and alkali, while including flowers, curd, unbroken grain and pearls. Vardhamana primarily means a shallow dish; others call it a special mirror or auspicious cup. A variant reads multiple vardhamana vessels well decorated, explaining them as white-coated dishes. Svastika may mean a particular pearl necklace; others describe an auspicious white clay or cow-dung object shaped as a svastika, decorated with durva and attached to a mirror for ceremonial purposes. Modaka is a laddu. Hiranya means gold, though others say cowrie shells. Akshata means parched grain, though others say unbroken barley; the vessel may therefore be a dish filled with rice, and others combine the words as a single rice-filled vessel. Sumana may mean a person with a good mind, implicitly the physician. Some interpret the king as one of good disposition. The fire is actively blazing. Brahma means the Veda, and the remaining terms name their respective sounds. Kaushika is the owl. The closing reference to opposite omens is to be understood later.
Key terms
vardhamAnam (vardhamanam)
An auspicious object variously identified as a shallow dish, special mirror or ceremonial cup.
svastikam
An auspicious object interpreted as a pearl ornament or a decorated svastika-shaped ceremonial object.
akShata (akshata)
Parched grain according to one gloss, or unbroken barley according to another.
Birds resting on healthy, milky trees furnished with leaves, flowers and fruit, or situated in the sky, on a house, flag, gateway or altar, and calling sweetly in peaceful directions while following behind on the left or right, are regarded as signs of success. Birds on a dry, lightning-struck, leafless, vine-bound or thorny tree, or on stone, ash, bone, feces, husks, embers or dust, and those on a funerary tree, anthill or uneven place, calling with harsh or ominous voices ahead in fiery directions, are not regarded as accomplishing the purpose. Male-named birds calling on the left and female-named birds on the right are favorable. Movement from right to left is praised for dogs and jackals; leftward movement for mongoose and casha; neither side is favorable for hare and snake, nor for bhasa and owl. Neither sight nor sound of godha or krkalasa is favorable from any direction. Seeing people resembling the previously unfavorable messengers is unfavorable. Vessels of kulattha, sesame, cotton, husks, stones or ash, or vessels filled with embers, oil, mud, non-clear liquor or red mustard are unfavorable. Encounters on the road with a corpse, wood, dry leaves, fallen persons, marginalized persons, the dejected, blind persons or enemies are also regarded as unfavorable.
The trees are unharmed by worms, fire or other damage. The word resting applies separately to sky, house, flag, gateway and altar. The gateway is an arch-like structure made from fresh bamboo or similar material; the altar is a square of unbaked brick made for occasions such as marriage. Peaceful directions primarily mean east and north, though others define them as directions free of celestial disturbance, smoke or fiery appearance. The unfavorable birds are understood as resting on each listed tree or substance. A caitya is a cremation-ground tree. Fiery directions are southeast, south and southwest. Male-named birds include hamsa, karandava and cakravaka; female-named birds include cuckoo and balaka. The stated favorable side also implies the opposite side is unfavorable. The dog and jackal rule implies the reverse direction is not praised. Bhasa is a cattle-ground vulture. Krkalasa is locally called kantikaya, while eastern authorities call it girigita. Seeing or hearing godha and krkalasa is unfavorable whether left, right, ahead or behind. People resembling unfavorable messengers include those arriving by eunuch, donkey, camel or chariot. Clear liquor is its transparent upper portion; a vessel full of other liquor is unfavorable. Some read old or established instead of dry in the final list of roadside encounters.
Key terms
shakunAH (shakunah)
Bird omens classified by perch, direction, movement, voice and gendered name in the historical doctrine.
dikShu shAntAsu (dikshu shantasu)
In peaceful directions, interpreted as east and north or as directions free of disturbing atmospheric signs.
dikShu dIptAsu (dikshu diptasu)
In fiery directions, identified as southeast, south and southwest.
ग्रन्थ्यर्बुदादिषु सदा छेदशब्दस्तु पूजितः |
विद्रध्युदरगुल्मेषु भेदशब्दस्तथैव च ||४२||
रक्तपित्तातिसारेषु रुद्धशब्दः प्रशस्यते |
एवं व्याधिविशेषेण निमित्तमुपधारयेत् ||४३||
Meaning of the śloka
In granthi, arbuda and similar conditions, hearing the word 'cutting' is always praised. In abscess, abdominal disease and gulma, the word 'opening' is likewise praised. In raktapitta and diarrhea, and in obstructive conditions, the word 'stopped' is considered favorable. In this way, an omen should be understood according to the particular disease.
The passage adds favorable verbal signs specific to diseases not previously stated. Nimitta means a sign indicating favorable or unfavorable outcome. Some read and explain the concluding line differently, but that alternate text was unavailable and therefore is not reproduced.
Key terms
nimittam
A verbal or situational omen interpreted as favorable or unfavorable according to the disease.
Adhikarana 17 (44) · Śloka 44
tathaivākruṣṭahākaṣṭamākrandaruditasvanāḥ |
chardyāṁ vātapurīṣāṇāṁ śabdō vai gardabhōṣṭrayōḥ ||44||
Also treated as unfavorable general sound omens are abusive cries, exclamations of distress, loud lamentation, weeping, sounds of vomiting or release of flatus and feces, and the calls of donkeys and camels.
The verse gives general sound omens. Akrushta is an abusive cry. The exclamation 'ha kashtam' expresses distress, and akranda is a loud cry or lament. The word for sound applies separately throughout the list. Many witnesses omit this verse, but Gayadasa, regarded here as careful in establishing distinctive readings, records and explains it, so the present commentary also includes it.
Key terms
shabdanimittam
A sound interpreted as an omen in the passage's historical framework.
Adhikarana 18 (45) · Śloka 45
pratiṣiddhaṁ tathā bhagnaṁ kṣutaṁ skhalitamāhatam |
daurmanasyaṁ ca vaidyasya yātrāyāṁ na praśasyatē ||45||
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प्रतिषिद्धं तथा भग्नं क्षुतं स्खलितमाहतम् |
दौर्मनस्यं च वैद्यस्य यात्रायां न प्रशस्यते ||४५||
Meaning of the śloka
During the physician's departure, hearing words of prohibition or breakage, sneezing, stumbling, being struck, and dejection of the physician are not regarded as favorable.
A prohibitory utterance includes expressions such as 'do not go.' Bhagna means speech about the breaking of a peg or similar object, and sneezing completes the three verbal or sound-related signs. Some read lagna instead of bhagna and explain it as clothing or another item catching or becoming entangled. Stumbling and being struck are bodily events, while dejection is a mental event.
Key terms
pratiShiddham (pratishiddham)
A prohibitory utterance, such as being told not to go.
daurmanasyam
Mental dejection or despondency of the physician.
Adhikarana 19 (46) · Śloka 46
pravēśē'pyētaduddēśādavēkṣyaṁ ca tathā''turē |
pratidvāraṁ gr̥hē cāsya punarētanna gaṇyatē ||46||
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प्रवेशेऽप्येतदुद्देशादवेक्ष्यं च तथाऽऽतुरे |
प्रतिद्वारं गृहे चास्य पुनरेतन्न गण्यते ||४६||
Meaning of the śloka
The same favorable and unfavorable signs should also be observed in summary when entering the patient's home and in relation to the patient. Once inside the patient's house, however, they are not counted anew at every doorway.
The rules stated for the physician's own setting are extended to entry into the patient's home. The previously described favorable and unfavorable signs are to be observed there in summary. They are not repeatedly counted at each doorway inside the house. Some read 'each doorway and the house' and take prati in the sense of making both the doorway and the house the respective points of reference.
Key terms
uddeshAt (uddeshat)
In summary rather than by repeating the full classification.
pratidvAram (pratidvaram)
At every doorway, where the signs are said not to be counted repeatedly once inside.
केशभस्मास्थिकाष्ठाश्मतुषकार्पासकण्टकाः |
खट्वोर्ध्वपादा मद्यापो वसा तैलं तिलास्तृणम् ||४७||
नपुंसकव्यङ्गभग्ननग्नमुण्डासिताम्बराः |
प्रस्थाने वा प्रवेशे वा नेष्यन्ते दर्शनं गताः ||४८||
Meaning of the śloka
When a physician is setting out or entering the patient's house, the sight of hair, ash, bone, wood, stone, husks, cotton, thorns, a bed standing with its legs upward, alcohol, water, fat, oil, sesame, grass, an impotent or malformed person, someone with a broken limb, a naked or shaven person, or someone in dark clothing is considered inauspicious.
The passage lists adverse omens for a physician approaching or already at the patient's dwelling. Munda means a person with the head shaved. The commentary glosses asitambara as wearing red garments, despite the source term's apparent sense of dark clothing.
भाण्डानां सङ्करस्थानां स्थानात् सञ्चारणं तथा |
निखातोत्पाटनं भङ्गः पतनं निर्गमस्तथा ||४९||
वैद्यासनावसादो वा रोगी वा स्यादधोमुखः |
वैद्यं सम्भाषमाणोऽङ्गं कुड्यमास्तरणानि वा ||५०||
प्रमृज्याद्वा धुनीयाद्वा करौ पृष्ठं शिरस्तथा |
हस्तं चाकृष्य वैद्यस्य न्यसेच्छिरसि चोरसि ||५१||
यो वैद्यमुन्मुखः पश्यन्नुन्मार्ष्टि स्वाङ्गमातुरः |
न स सिध्यति वैद्यो वा गृहे यस्य न पूज्यते ||५२||
भवने पूज्यते वाऽपि यस्य वैद्यः स सिध्यति |५३|
Meaning of the śloka
Within the patient's house, moving mixed utensils from their places, digging up something buried, breakage, falling, someone leaving, collapse of the physician's seat, or the patient facing downward are adverse signs. So are a patient who, while speaking with the physician, wipes or shakes the body, wall, coverings, hands, back or head, places the physician's hand on the head or chest, or looks upward at the physician while wiping the body upward. A patient for whom the physician is not honoured is said not to recover; one in whose house the physician is honoured is said to recover.
Bhanda means implements; sankarastha means mixed together; sancharana moving them about; and utpatana lifting out a buried object. Bhanga means breaking, patana a downward fall such as of a hand, and nirgama leaving the interior of the house. Avasada means collapse or breaking. Pramrijyat means wipe, dhuniyat shake, and nyaset place. Some elder authorities read the lines beginning 'he does not recover.'
Auspicious messengers and related signs assuredly indicate an auspicious result for the patient, while inauspicious ones indicate the opposite. Therefore the physician should examine the messenger and the other signs.
स्वप्नानतः प्रवक्ष्यामि मरणाय शुभाय च ||५४||
सुहृदो यांश्च पश्यन्ति व्याधितो वा स्वयं तथा |
स्नेहाभ्यक्तशरीरस्तु करभव्यालगर्दभैः ||५५||
वराहैर्महिषैर्वाऽपि यो यायाद्दक्षिणामुखः |
रक्ताम्बरधरा कृष्णा हसन्ती मुक्तमूर्धजा ||५६||
यं चाकर्षति बद्ध्वा स्त्री नृत्यन्ती दक्षिणामुखम् |
अन्तावसायिभिर्यो वाऽऽकृष्यते दक्षिणामुखः ||५७||
परिष्वजेरन् यं वाऽपि प्रेताः प्रव्रजिता(न)स्तथा |
मुहुराघ्रायते यस्तु श्वापदैर्विकृताननैः ||५८||
पिबेन्मधु च तैलं च यो वा पङ्केऽवसीदति |
पङ्कप्रदिग्धगात्रो वा प्रनृत्येत् प्रहसेत्तथा ||५९||
निरम्बरश्च यो रक्तां धारयेच्छिरसा स्रजम् |
यस्य वंशो नलो वाऽपि तालो वोरसि जायते ||६०||
यं वा मत्स्यो ग्रसेद्यो वा जननीं प्रविशेन्नरः |
पर्वताग्रात् पतेद्यो वा श्वभ्रे वा तमसाऽऽवृते ||६१||
ह्रियेत स्रोतसा यो वा यो वा मौण्ड्यमवाप्नुयात् |
पराजीयेत बध्येत काकाद्यैर्वाऽभिभूयते ||६२||
पतनं तारकादीनां प्रणाशं दीपचक्षुषोः |
यः पश्येद्देवतानां वा प्रकम्पमवनेस्तथा ||६३||
यस्य छर्दिर्विरेको वा दशनाः प्रपतन्ति वा |
शाल्मलीं किंशुकं यूपं वल्मीकं पारिभद्रकम् ||६४||
पुष्पाढ्यं कोविदारं वा चितां वा योऽधिरोहति |
कार्पासतैलपिण्याकलोहानि लवणं तिलान् ||६५||
लभेताश्नीत वा पक्वमन्नं यश्च पिबेत् सुराम् |
स्वस्थः स लभते व्याधिं व्याधितो मृत्युमृच्छति ||६६||
Meaning of the śloka
The text next lists dreams believed to portend death or good fortune, whether seen by friends or by the ill person. Inauspicious images include travelling south while oiled and mounted on a camel, wild beast, donkey, boar or buffalo; being bound and dragged south by a laughing, dancing, dark woman in red garments with loose hair; being dragged south by outcastes; being embraced by the dead or ascetics; repeated contact with wild beasts of distorted faces; drinking honey or oil; sinking in mud; dancing and laughing while smeared with mud; being naked with a red garland on the head; bamboo, reed or palm growing from the chest; being swallowed by a fish or entering the mother's womb; falling from a mountain into a dark pit; being swept away by a current; having the head shaved; defeat, bondage or attack by crows and similar creatures; falling stars or loss of a lamp or one's eyes; trembling images of deities or earth; vomiting, purging or falling teeth; climbing shalmali, kimshuka, a sacrificial post, anthill, paribhadraka, a flowering kovidara or a funeral pyre; and receiving or consuming cotton, oil cake, iron objects, salt, sesame, cooked food or sura. The text says such a dream brings disease to a healthy person and death to one already ill.
A dream is defined as apprehension of objects by a mind affected by sleep and rajas. Dreams seen by friends are merely indicative, while those personally seen are considered more serious except where explained by constitution and other exclusions. The commentary attaches a six-month fatal prognosis and rajayakshma specifically to the first travel dream. Antavasayin means chandala, and pravrajita includes Shaiva, Pashupata and other ascetics. Aghrayate is glossed as kissed, with a variant 'eaten.' Madhu is flower nectar; the two conjunctions permit honey and oil separately. Some take madhu as alcohol, but the commentary rejects this because ordinary alcohol can be auspicious in dream texts, while the later inauspicious sura is specifically grain-based. Sinking in mud is said to indicate immediate death. The list includes stars and the moon, sudden extinguishing of a lamp, eyes falling out, and trembling divine images. Yupa is the sacrificial animal-post, paribhadraka neem and kovidara kanchanara. Some read meat instead of cooked food.
Dreams consistent with one's constitution, forgotten dreams, dreams counteracted by a later one, dreams produced by daytime thought, and dreams seen during the day are fruitless.
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viphalān svapnānanariṣṭabhūtān darśayannāha- yathāsvamityādi| svasyāḥ prakr̥tēranatikramēṇa yathāsvaṁ, yathā- vātaprakr̥tau ‘viyati gacchati sambhramēṇa ca; (śā. a. 4), pittaprakr̥tau ‘sampaśyēdapi ca hutāśavidyudulkāḥ' (śā. a. 4), ślēṣmaprakr̥tau ‘prasuptaḥ san kamalahaṁsacakravākān sampaśyēdapi ca jalāśayān manōjñān' (śā. a. 4)| vismr̥tō'tiśayēna na smr̥taḥ| vihataḥ pūrvaṁ virūpō dr̥ṣṭaḥ sa cānantaraṁ viśiṣṭēna svapnēna hataḥ| uktaṁ ca- “akalyāṇamapi svapnaṁ dr̥ṣṭvā tatraiva yaḥ punaḥ| saumyaṁ paśyēcchubhākāraṁ tasya vidyācchubhaṁ phalam”- (ca. i. a. 5) iti| tathāgrahaṇāt susvapnaṁ dr̥ṣṭvā'svapatāṁ sadyaḥphalatvaṁ mahāphalatvaṁ ca sūcyatē| anyē tu ‘vihitaśca yaḥ' iti paṭhanti| divādr̥ṣṭa iti 'svapnaḥ' iti śēṣaḥ| bhavantyaphaladāstu tē iti tuśabdaścakārārthaḥ, tēnātihrasvātidīrghaprathamayāmadr̥ṣṭāścāphalāḥ samuccīyantē| ‘bhavatyaphala ēva sa' iti kēcit paṭhanti||67||
Meaning of the commentary
Constitutional examples include hurried movement through the sky for vata, fire, lightning or meteors for pitta, and lotuses, geese, chakravaka birds or pleasing waters for kapha. A forgotten dream is not remembered clearly. A bad dream is counteracted when followed immediately by an auspicious one. The wording also suggests that after a good dream, remaining awake makes its result immediate and great. Another reading has vihita instead of vihata. The inclusive expression adds excessively short or long dreams and those seen in the first watch of night as fruitless. Another variant reads singularly, 'that alone is fruitless.'
The text assigns disease-specific adverse dreams: friendship with a dog in fever, with a monkey in shosha, involvement with rakshasas in insanity and with the dead in apasmara; drinking water in meha or diarrhea, oil in kushtha; a plant growing in the abdomen in gulma or on the head in headache; eating shashkuli in vomiting; travelling a road in difficult breathing or thirst; eating turmeric-coloured food in pandu; and drinking blood in raktapitta. The last is said to lead to destruction.
These are presented as specific arishta dreams for diseases taught in the Uttara Tantra. Pravartana applies separately to insanity and apasmara. In gulma, plant growth occurs in the abdomen; in headache, on the head. Shashkuli is a sesame-containing cake fried in oil. Adhvan means travelling a road. Haridra food means food coloured like turmeric.
स्वप्नानेवंविधान् दृष्ट्वा प्रातरुत्थाय यत्नवान् ||७१||
दद्यान्माषांस्तिलांल्लोहं विप्रेभ्यः काञ्चनं तथा |
जपेच्चापि शुभान् मन्त्रान् गायत्रीं त्रिपदां तथा ||७२||
दृष्ट्वा तु प्रथमे यामे स्वप्याद् ध्यात्वा पुनः शुभम् |
जपेद्वाऽन्यतमं वेदं ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः ||७३||
न चाचक्षीत कस्मैचिद्दृष्ट्वा स्वप्नमशोभनम् |
देवतायतने चैव वसेद्रात्रित्रयं तथा |
विप्रांश्च पूजयेन्नित्यं दुःस्वप्नात् प्रविमुच्यते ||७४||
Meaning of the śloka
After seeing such dreams, the text directs rising in the morning and giving masha, sesame, iron and gold to Brahmins, reciting auspicious mantras and the three-foot Gayatri. After a dream in the first watch, one should contemplate something auspicious and sleep again, or attentively and celibately recite one of the Vedas. An inauspicious dream should not be told to anyone. The person should stay three nights in a deity's shrine and honour Brahmins daily; the text says this frees one from the bad dream.
The passage states historical rites after an inauspicious dream. The first yama is the first watch of night. Although dreams then were called fruitless, the procedure is still prescribed because of fear caused by the dream. Anyatama means any one Veda, samahita attentive, and na achakshita not tell.
Adhikarana 27 (75-81) · Śloka 81
ata ūrdhvaṁ pravakṣyāmi praśastaṁ svapnadarśanam |
dēvān dvijāngōvr̥ṣabhān jīvataḥ suhr̥dō nr̥pān ||75||
samiddhamagniṁ sādhūṁśca nirmalāni jalāni ca |
paśyēt kalyāṇalābhāya vyādhērapagamāya ca ||76||
māṁsaṁ matsyān srajaḥ śvētā vāsāṁsi ca phalāni ca |
labhēta dhanalābhāya vyādhērapagamāya ca ||77||
mahāprāsādasaphalavr̥kṣavāraṇaparvatān |
ārōhēddravyalābhāya vyādhērapagamāya ca ||78||
nadīnadasamudrāṁśca kṣubhitān kaluṣōdakān |
tarēt kalyāṇalābhāya vyādhērapagamāya ca ||79||
uragō vā jalaukō vā bhramarō vā'pi yaṁ daśēt |
ārōgyaṁ nirdiśēttasya dhanalābhaṁ ca buddhimān ||80||
ēvaṁ rūpāñ śubhān svapnān yaḥ paśyēdvyādhitō naraḥ |
sa dīrghāyuriti jñēyastasmai karma samācarēt ||81||
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अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रशस्तं स्वप्नदर्शनम् |
देवान् द्विजान्गोवृषभान् जीवतः सुहृदो नृपान् ||७५||
समिद्धमग्निं साधूंश्च निर्मलानि जलानि च |
पश्येत् कल्याणलाभाय व्याधेरपगमाय च ||७६||
मांसं मत्स्यान् स्रजः श्वेता वासांसि च फलानि च |
लभेत धनलाभाय व्याधेरपगमाय च ||७७||
महाप्रासादसफलवृक्षवारणपर्वतान् |
आरोहेद्द्रव्यलाभाय व्याधेरपगमाय च ||७८||
नदीनदसमुद्रांश्च क्षुभितान् कलुषोदकान् |
तरेत् कल्याणलाभाय व्याधेरपगमाय च ||७९||
उरगो वा जलौको वा भ्रमरो वाऽपि यं दशेत् |
आरोग्यं निर्दिशेत्तस्य धनलाभं च बुद्धिमान् ||८०||
एवं रूपाञ् शुभान् स्वप्नान् यः पश्येद्व्याधितो नरः |
स दीर्घायुरिति ज्ञेयस्तस्मै कर्म समाचरेत् ||८१||
Meaning of the śloka
Auspicious dreams are then described. Seeing deities, Brahmins, cows, bulls, living friends, kings, blazing fire, virtuous people or clear water is said to bring good fortune and release from disease. Receiving meat, fish, white garlands, garments or fruits is said to bring wealth and release from disease. Climbing a great palace, fruit-bearing tree, elephant or mountain has the same result. Crossing turbulent rivers or seas with muddy water is also auspicious. Being bitten by a snake, leech or bee is said to indicate health and gain of wealth. An ill person who sees such dreams is considered long-lived and suitable for treatment.
Suhrit means friends, samiddha fire blazing, kalyana-labha attainment of something auspicious, and apagama cessation. Rivers include the Ganga and nadas include the Shona. Their water is muddy because it is agitated and swollen. Uraga means snake and dashet bite.